Last month we mentioned BDK RESTAURANT & BAR was opening in the former Grand Cafe in the Hotel Monaco, with chef Heather Terhune (previously Chicago’s Sable Kitchen & Bar).
She has put together an American menu with some fun updates, like bacon croutons in an iceberg salad, and avocado and Calabrian chile in the steak tartare. The braised lamb poutine and smoked ham and Brie pop-tarts also sound like good trouble. Mains include pickle-brined fried chicken thighs with coleslaw and mini buttermilk biscuits ($22), spaghetti and meatballs ($21), and I am all over the potato and cheese pierogies ($19) with caramelized onions, sour cream, and dill.
The space got a big refresh from design firm Ken Fulk Inc. (Marlowe, The Battery), and now has an energetically patterned tile floor, leather banquettes in dark butterscotch, and stylish dining room chairs. The dining room has 72 seats (with high-top tables and pub-style booths and banquettes), and there is still a spacious bar and lounge area, with 17 seats at the California granite bar and 20 seats in the lounge. The huge dining room has been converted back to its original ballroom state (it was the grand ballroom of the Bellevue Hotel in the early 1900s).
Bar manager Kevin Diedrich is behind the cocktails (which run for $11-$12), and the wine list will emphasize Chianti (seems Bill Kimpton, the man behind the BDK initials, was a fan). You’ll find wine, beer, and Diedrich’s spin on an old-fashioned all on tap.
Hours are breakfast: Mon- Fri 7am-10am, Sat-Sun 7am-10am; dinner Sun-Thu 5pm-10pm, Fri-Sat 5pm-11pm. Bar open daily at 4pm. Brunch is coming soon. 501 Geary St. at Taylor, 415-292-0101.
The light-filled front lounge area. Photo: Douglas Friedman.
